Words of the Buddha:

“When, Brahmin, a bhikkhu is moderate in eating, the Tathāgata further trains him: ‘Come, bhikkhu, remain devoted to wakefulness. During the day, purify your mind from obstructive states through walking meditation and sitting meditation. During the first watch of the night, purify your mind in the same way; in the middle watch of the night, lie down on the right side in the lion’s posture, with one foot overlapping the other, mindful and fully aware, after noting in your mind the idea of rising; in the last watch of the night, rise up and continue purifying your mind from obstructive states through walking meditation and sitting meditation.’”

From the section of Training in Wakefulness (from MN 107: Gradual training guidelines)

During the lifetime of the Buddha, both the Buddha and the bhikkhus under him followed a schedule of meditating up to 3x per day. This can be adjusted for one’s daily schedule, ensuring that one meditates after waking up, one meditates before going to sleep, and then one meditates during the middle of the day.

During the lifetime of the Buddha, they used grass seats as cushion to meditate on. One can similarly use cushions or other support to ensure the lower body is in a comfortable posture when meditating.

The role of meditation is as an active training of the mind to clear any build up of obstructive states: walking and sitting are the two primary ways this can be done. The obstructive states here are a reference to the five hindrances arising in the mind:

  1. Sensual Desire: The pulling of the mind with yearning and eagerness towards the objects of its affection; also referred to as operating from craving, sensual desire, or attachment.

  2. Ill-will: The tendency of the mind to push objects away based on aversion, hostility, anger, or resentment arising in the mind.

  3. Dullness and Drowsiness: The lack of motivation or sluggishness in the mind; the opposite of a well-developed practice of persistence.

  4. Restlessness and Remorse: The agitation and/or the worry in the mind related to past actions or future uncertainties.

  5. Doubt: Doubt about the teachings, i.e., training guidelines, and/or one’s ability to practice them in accordance with the guidelines.

Further readings on hindrances:

Breathing-mindfulness meditation (SN 54.13) was the go-to choice of meditation that the Buddha practiced and advised his students to practice, alongside a practice based on loving-kindness (based on Snp 1.8). You may use these guided meditations on: breathing-mindfulness and loving-kindness ↗️.

Awakening factors to develop when the mind is tired (SN 46.53)

A dedicated practice of the breathing-mindfulness meditation gradually leads to these four benefits:

  1. Clearing of the obstructive states from the mind,

  2. Cultivation of clear comprehension and mindfulness,

  3. Abiding in the jhānas and cultivation of the seven factors of enlightenment and

  4. Wearing away and elimination of the fetters (taints) that are the cause of the hindrances arising in the mind.

By the time one gets to stream-entry (the first stage of enlightenment), the mind is completely rid of the hindrance of doubt through the regular practice of meditation such that it no longer arises in the daily experience.

The same happens for the other hindrances as one continues practicing. Progress regarding these four benefits is only possible to see in retrospect. The Buddha shares this with this analogy:

Suppose a carpenter or their apprentice sees the marks of his fingers and thumb on the handle of his adze. They don’t know how much of the handle was worn away today, how much yesterday, and how much previously. They just know what has been worn away.

– SN 22.101

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